Shloka 28

Virāṭa-parva Adhyāya 33 — Kuru Cattle-Raid and Matsya Mobilization (भूमिंजय-प्रेरणा)

Devanagari script

पातिता भीमसेनेन विराटस्य समीपत: । पत्तयो निहतास्तेषां गदां गृह्म महात्मना,ऐसा कहकर सुशर्मा भाइयोंसहित धनुष उठाये लौट पड़ा। इधर महात्मा भीमसेनने निमेषमात्रमें ही गदा लेकर शत्रुओंके भयंकर धनुष धारण करनेवाले रथी, हाथीसवार और घुड़सवार वीरोंके एक लाख सैनिकोंके समूहोंको राजा विराटके समीप मार गिराया और बहुत-से पैदल सिपाहियोंका भी संहार कर डाला

Transliteration

vaiśampāyana uvāca | pātitā bhīmasenena virāṭasya samīpataḥ | pattayo nihatās teṣāṃ gadāṃ gṛhya mahātmanā ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana sprach: Nahe bei König Virāṭa streckte Bhīmasena sie nieder; auch ihre Fußsoldaten wurden erschlagen. Der großherzige Held ergriff die Keule und zerschmetterte die feindlichen Kräfte in Virāṭas Nähe, um den König zu schützen.

Word by Word

पातिताःfelled, struck down

भीमसेनेनby Bhimasena

विराटस्यof Virata

समीपतःnear, in the vicinity

पत्तयःfoot-soldiers

निहताःwere slain

तेषाम्of them

गदाम्mace

गृह्यhaving taken, taking up

महात्मनाby the great-souled (one)

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vaiśampāyana

Bhīmasena (Bhīma)

Virāṭa

gadā (mace)

pattayaḥ (infantry)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse frames Bhīma’s violence within kṣatriya-dharma: force is employed not for cruelty but to protect the threatened king and restore order in a wartime emergency. Ethical emphasis lies on rightful intent (rakṣaṇa/protection) and disciplined action in one’s duty.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vaiśampāyana narrates that Bhīma, near King Virāṭa, seizes his mace and strikes down the enemy troops—especially the infantry—clearing the battlefield around Virāṭa and safeguarding him amid the clash.